UK and EMEA managing director David Duff told TTG the ongoing marketing project aims to “bring sea and shore together” with the line trialling cultural and culinary experiences onboard. He expects the project to be finalised in the “next two to three months”.
According to Duff, the project began after Dondra Ritzenthaler became chief executive last year, but he stressed it had been driven by Azamara’s onboard teams.
“We feel our brand has been undervalued a bit in terms of how we’re trying to sell it and the prices that we’ve been getting for it commercially,” said Duff, who has been with Azamara for 12 years. “We’ve done a big push since Dondra came in to say we should be proud about the quality of product that we’re offering and the price it should be commanding.”
He added: “[The marketing push] is more evolution, rather than revolution. We’re still very much the DNA of Azamara from 10 years ago. It will give our guests the opportunity to have a taste of where we’re going and what we’re exploring.”
Some cruise companies, including Azamara, have in recent years tried to market themselves as travel companies rather than cruise lines to attract new-to-cruise customers.
Duff, however, said Azamara is “proud” to be a cruise line and would not be rebranding. “We’ve gone through that journey over the last five or six years,” he said, adding: “We want to be seen as the premier cruise line around destination.
“We’ll have clearer marketing relating to the destinations that guests are going to. It will relate to the onboard experience while making the destination do all the work.
“It’s really just trying to move through all the facets of the destination in terms of the experience, elevating them and then marketing them. It’s trying to bring sea and shore together a bit more. This is what we’re looking to do.”
He added that “sometimes” the brand feels guests get onboard and “don’t realise what we’re about”.
On new ships, which Ritzenthaler had previously said would be announced this year – if wave season is a success, Duff said: “Everything in 2025 is about the promises and commitments we are making to our investors. We’re wholly focused on building that confidence as that’s the gateway to growth.
“Plan A is investment in new ships. There’s nothing to announce to say that we’ve got there yet other than 2025 has started really well for us. We started the year with the best load factor that we’ve ever done. Wave is sealing the deal for us. Everything is on track.”
He believes “more interest” in smaller ships, like Azmara’s four vessels, among customers than there has ever been since he joined the line full time in 2013.
Azamara operates a fleet of four ships – Azamara Journey, Azamara Quest, Azamara Pursuit and Azamara Onward. The ships accommodate up to 702 guests.
“Small ships are seen as less burdensome on the places that they go,” he explained. “I think there are definitely customers who are interested in that. I hear a lot of chat about that even from trade partners. I think that really works well for Azamara as we go to these places.”
